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To Disclose or Not To Disclose

Your body language and how you express your addiction and recovery will be key to helping the interviewer understand who you are. Choosing to open up about what you’ve been through is difficult, but if you’re speaking honestly, your con-fidence will be what the employer notices.

“Don’t be ashamed; don’t be embarrassed,” Sisson says. “Be proud of what you’ve accomplished and what you were able to gain from such a difficult time in your life. That usually means eye contact. That means sitting up straight. That means not being nervous because you know what it is you’re going to say and you’re happy to share it. That’s the ability to sell yourself — and to do so with a certain degree of enthusiasm.”

Bring positivity to the conversation. It’s likely that you might be six on a list of 10 candidates, and your potential employer is on the third straight day of interviews.

“You have to bring the energy to the table and make an impression,” Sisson says. “Demonstrate that energy through your body language.”

Don’t Forget to Follow Up

The decision-making process takes a while, and you can continue to influence it by asking follow-up questions via email, writing thank-you notes and connecting on LinkedIn.

“Most selling isn’t successful on the first sales call,” Sisson says. “You rarely walk into a cold call and walk away with an order. Treat the job search like a selling process.”

Although it seems difficult, it is very possible to get a job after you have gone through a drug or alcohol recovery. Follow these steps, remain confident and remember that you are not defined by your addiction.